A Spring Cruise on the Chesapeake Bay (Part One)

Well folks, a lot has happened since we posted last fall. We were ready to head south to the Bahamas, Rosalind was provisioned, and the fridge was packed but we had to change our plans. The destructive fires in California last fall made us change our plans and we were not able to launch until this spring.

This year's commissioning was done in late winter and early spring. We worked on the fresh water system including hooking up the forward water tank. Rosalind now has 103 gallons (390 liters) of fresh water capacity (85 gallons in the main cabin tank and 18 gallons in the forward tank). On the hard, we also commissioned the head and did some maintenance on the rudder. Rosalind was ready to launch. We were on the waiting list for an early launch. While working on making an access panel for the galley seacock (through-hull valve), the travel-lift showed up and before we knew it, Rosalind was launched and in her temporary slip. We dashed home to get the victuals and after several days we were all loaded and ready to start the engine. 

Rosalind on the Travel-lift

Rosalind being Launched

The engine fired right up and the annual maintenance of the heat exchanger was successful. No leaks there, except...the water in the diesel alarm started buzzing (again!). At the end of last season, we had a broken fuel filler cap o-ring that allowed rainwater into the starboard fuel tank (see 8/22/2017 blogpost "Adventures on the Chesapeake Part Two"). We drained the water from the Racor fuel filter/water separator at the end of last season but some additional work was needed. It took a couple of days to sort this out as the Racor had to be disassembled and cleaned. After that, we were ready to head out and our first destination was Oxford, Maryland. 

Our First Sunrise this Season

Herrington Harbor North Marina (Deale, Maryland)

Visibility was down to a quarter mile (400 meters) as we headed out of Herring Bay and motorsailed across the Chesapeake Bay. It was mid-April and the Chesapeake was completely empty. The water temperature was a chilly 56F (13C). Visibility improved as the spring sun started burning off some of the fog. We appreciated having both the RADAR and the AIS to help us keep track of any potential traffic around us. 

We had not been in Oxford, Maryland for close to twenty years and we were pleased to see that not much had changed. Oxford played an important role in Maryland’s history and there is history there dating back to the Revolutionary War. It now has a permanent population of about four hundred, a handful of restaurants, and a quaint general store. People waved and struck up conversations and the pace in town was reminiscent of different times. We were told of the upcoming annual Oxford Day and were encouraged to stay.

Panoramic View of Town Creek (Oxford, Maryland)

Oxford Boatyard and Water Tower

(Oxford, Maryland)

So, we stayed in Oxford for several days to see Oxford Day 2018. Daytime temperatures were pleasant and a windbeaker or a light fleece jacket was sufficient but the evenings were still chilly in the forties (4C to 9C) and we ran the cabin heater aboard Rosalind.  The temperature increased steadily and by Oxford Day we found ourselves looking for shade. 

Oxford Day was filled with activities and a long parade. It was small town USA all over with pies, crab cakes, fire trucks and marching bands. In the afternoon, after a morning filled with contests, the parade, and many other activities, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted two simulated water rescues by helicopter on the Tred Avon River right in front of the town park. The noise was almost deafening and the downwash from the helicopter confirmed that in the unlikely event that one needs helicopter rescue, goggles would be not only be nice but critical. 

On our way back from the Oxford Day festivities, we visited the one-room library and picked up some reading material from their annual sale. It was a fun day and we were glad we stayed to see it firsthand. 

We used our dinghy and outboard motor to get to shore and we found that the outboard shifter was stuck making it impossible to shift from neutral to forward. We carry the outboard shop manual with us onboard and after disassembling the powerhead from the lower unit (twice!), we got that sorted out.

We waited for a couple of days for the weather to settle, then we continued our spring cruise. The next destination was St. Michael's, Maryland...

Thanks for joining us on our blog after our long break on the hard! Alex and Cheryl

Town Creek (Oxford, Maryland)